A mosque built in Japan's Kawagoe city by a Pakistani national without obtaining the required permissions from local authorities will now be removed, according to a report by The Japan Times.
The mosque's removal has also caused embarrassment for the Pakistani government, as its inauguration was reportedly attended by Pakistan's ambassador to Japan, Abdul Hameed.
Pakistan has now distanced itself from the controversy, defending the ambassador's visit by saying it took place after the organisers assured him that all necessary approvals had been obtained.
The Pakistani embassy has also issued guidance to Pakistanis living in Japan, urging them to comply with local laws.
The Embassy of Pakistan in Japan strongly urges all Pakistanis residing in Japan to comply with Japanese laws in all matters, including the construction of mosques. Any construction must be undertaken only after obtaining the necessary permits from local authorities.
Kawagoe's urban development division said the building was erected without the required applications or permits and that it had instructed the Pakistani company that owns the land to remove the structure.
The city added that it could not treat the illegal structure differently simply because it was a mosque, according to The Japan Times.
Construction workers told authorities: ‘They didn’t understand Japanese’
